Bobbin lifting mechanism



Oct. 29, 1940- J. H. LARMuTl-l BOBBIN LIFTING MECHANISM Filed De. 2, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 29, 1940. J. H. LARMUTH BOBBIN LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2. 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 29, 1940. J. H. LARMUTH L2,219,482 l vBOBBIN LIFTING MECEANISM I Filed Dec. 2, 193s 5 sheets-sheet 4 lllll BOBBIN LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 2. 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fil-9.6.

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Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES BOBBIN LIFTING MECHANISM John Hamilton Larmuth, Hill Crest, Upper Colwyn Bay, North .Wales Application December 2, 1938, Serial No. 243,557 In Great Britain December 18, 1937 Claims.

This invention relates to bobbin lifting mechanisms for stranding, twisting, lapping and the like machines wherein bobbins which carry the material are placed in cradles mounted in a rotary 5 member such as a tube having apertures or a metal framework.

The main object of my invention is to dispense with the need for overhead hoisting tackle for lifting the bobbins on to the cradles, whilst at the same time avoiding the provision of hoisting tackle on the cradles themselves for hoisting the bobbins from a runway situated beneath the rotary member, and without requiring a special design of bobbin for use with the mechanism.

According to the invention bobbin lifting mechanism for stranding and other machines comprises for each cradle, a platform separate from but adapted to ll a gap in an interrupted runway beneath the rotary member, the said platform being adapted to be raised and thereby raise a bobbin standing thereon into the cradle to a position where it can be mounted thereon.

'Ihe platform may be connected to lifting arms operated by a hand Wheel or lthe equivalent operatively connectedby suitable means to the said arms, there being a hand wheel or the equivalent for operation of each platform or for alternative operation of each two adjacent platforms.

A radius link may be connected to the platform to cause it to tilt when raised and thereby prevent rolling'of the bobbin thereofi' in one direction.

Automatic or hand controlled stop means may be provided in connection with the platform to prevent rolling of the bobbin thereoff in the reverse direction.

The platform is supported by the said arms by means which hold it a distance above the same when in raised position whereby the platform can pass up through the apertured rotary member 40 and between the sides of the cradle into the requisite position without the said arms or other parts fouling the rotary member or cradle.

The said platform is preferably rotatably mounted on a lcross rod by means of lugs or brackets which maintain the platform a distance above the said cross rod, radius links connected to the platform and to a stationary part operating to control and vary the angular position of the platform during lifting.

The said arms and link are preferably connected to a stationary part of the machine by means of brackets mounted on the stationary part, the points of connection of the arms and link to the bracketsA being at a lower elevation than the cradles.

For operation of the arms they are preferably connected to the two ends of two chains which run on sprocket wheels adapted to be rotated by means of the said hand Wheel or the equivalent, the said chains also running over carrier wheels. 5

Alternatively the said chains or a different kind of hoisting member may be adapted to be wound on to and olf drums operated by the said hand wheel or the equivalent.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate 10 a constructional example of the invention- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view in section of a bobbin lifting mechanism on a stranding and the like machine.

Figure 2 is an end view in section thereof. 15

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view showing a bobbin lifting mechanism of another construction.

Figure 4 ls a fragmentary side View of a bobbin lifting mechanism and illustrates a third con- 20 struction. I

Figure 5 is an end View in section thereof.

Figure 6 is a detached side view illustrating a detail of a fourth construction, and

Figure 7 is a plan view thereof. 25

Referring to the drawings, in the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, as applied by Way of example to a stranding and the like machine having a tubular member I provided with apertures 2 in its periphery and mounted in bearings 3 pro- 30 vided on the side members 4 of a stationary frame and carrying inside it cradles such as 5 by a trunnion mounting whereby the cradles 5 are free to remain stationary whilst the member I rotates, I provide at substantially the elevation of thelongitudinal centre of the member I, a rail 6 extending between adjacent frame bearings 3 outside the member I, at each side of lthe machine. A depending bracket 'I is secured to each rail 6. To the lower end of each bracket 1 is pivoted at 8 0 an arm 9 and the two arms 9 are connected together by a cross rod I Il situated a suitable distance from the end of each arm 9 and connecting lthe arms 9 together. The end of the arm 9 is connected at II to one end of a driving chain I2. 45

The rod I0 has two lugs I3 fixed to it and the lugs I3 projecting downwardly to a suitable distance from the sides of a platform comprising two rail portions I4 for the iianges I5 of the bobbin I 6 to roll and rest on and two side 5u flanges I1 toguide and hold flanges I5 of the bobbin I6 laterally. The rod has fixed to it an arm I8 which is connected by a pivotal, telescopically adjustable link I9 to one of the depending brackets I at a point 20 above the ful- 55 crum 8 of the respective arm l. The relative positions of the pivotal point 2l on the one hand and the pivot 8 of the arm 3 on the other hand are such that when the platform comprising the parts I4 and I1 is in its lowest position, the rail portions I4 are horizontal, but that when the arm 9 and therefore the said platform are raised, the said platform tilts out of the horizontal, whereby rolling of the bobbin I8 off the said platform is prevented in one direction.

The anges I1 are provided with lugs 2| having slots 22 or holes for the insertion of a stop pin 23 across one end of the pl-atform.

The chains I2 pass over the upper side of sprocket carrier wheel 24 and the under side of sprocket wheels 25 mounted in brackets 28 secured to the said rail 6. The sprocket wheels 25 p are provided on a shaft 21 which extends across the machine beneath the member I and is also supported in the brackets 26. The shaft 21 is provided with a hand wheel 28 at one side of the machine. The shaft 21 has also a toothed locking wheel 29 which by cooperation with a double-toothed pawl 38 pivoted at 3l and fitted with a handle 32 enables the shaft 21 to be locked against rotation in one or the other' direction at will -according to the position into which the handle 32 is moved. When the handle 32 is held in the mid-position, the pawl does not engage the wheel 29 and the shaft is therefore free to rotate in both directions.

In operation, the bobbin I8 is rolled vonto the platform beneath the member I andthe stop pin 23 or other device is brought into position to prevent it rolling back. Y

The hand wheel 28 is then rotated in the requisite direction and by driving the two chains I2 raises the two arms 9 uniformly and thus causes the platform -to rise. As soon as the platform commences to rise, the linkA I9 causes it to tilt in such a direction as to prevent b'y gravity the bobbin I6 from rolling forwards off the platform.- The arms 9 continue to rise under the pull of the chains I2 and cause the vbobbin I6 and platform carrying the same to enter member I from below through one ofthe apertures 2 therein and the bobbin I 6 tothen rise upwards between the sides of the cradle 5 until the central hole 33 provided in the bobbin I6 for the usual mandrel is situated above the tops of the said sides. The parts are then in the position shown in dot-and-dash lines. The usual mandrel is then inserted through another of the apertures 2 into the said hole 33 above the tops of the sides of the cradle 5, whereupon the chains I2 are slackened off by means of the hand Wheel 28 so as to allow the arms 9 and therefore the platform and bobbin I8 to sink until the said mandrel has sunk into and is supported in the slots 34 provided for it in the cradle 5, whereupon the bobbin I6 remains suspended in the correct'position in -the cradle 5 and further slackening of the chains I2 allows the arms 9 and platform to sink into the initial positions shown in full lines, with the platform again horizontal and ready to receive another bobbin.

In a stranding and the like machine there are a plurality of cradles 5. I provide a platform, cross i'od, arms, link and arm and link supporting brackets for each cradle and there may be a separate chain and system of sprocket, shaft and hand wheel for each cradle. I however prefer to arrange the said arms and so forth of each pair of cradles in such a manner that one hand wheel serves to operate the lifting mechanisms of two adjacent cradles. An arrangement of this ,kind is shown in Figure 3. In the said figure the arms 9 face each other and move in anti-clockwise and clockwise direction respectively when rising, the pair of arms 8 corresponding with one of the two cradles l being connected to one end of the pair of chains I2 and the pair of arms 8 belonging to the other cradle 5 to the other ends of the same pair of chains I2. The chains I2 are of suillcien-t length to enable both of the platforms to simultaneously occupy their lowermost position, as shown. By this means one hand wheel 28 serves to operate both lifting mechanisms separately and therefore to lift bobbins separately into either of the two cradles 5.

It is to be noted that the mounting of the platforms on the cross rods Il by means of lugs I3 or the equivalent which cause the platforms to be situated at a substantially higher elevation than the cross rods I0 enables the bobbin to be raised to the-requisite extent without any parts of the mechanism fouling or being obstructed by the member I or cradle 5.

To facilitate the placing of the bobbins on the platforms I provide a track situated beneath and parallel with the member I and composed of stationary sections 43, each having rail portions for the bobbin rims to vroll on and side anges for guiding the bobbin laterally similar to the portions I4 and anges I1 of the platforms, the sections 43 being' so arranged that when the two platforms of a pair of lifting mechanisms are in their lowermost positions there is one of the said sections 43 bridging the gap between them and forming a continuation thereof, the said sections also supporting one end of each platform when in the lowermost position, by forming the said end to overlap the section without obstructing the rolling of the bobbin on to and oif the platform. 'I'his enables a bobbin to be rolled over one platform and the said section to the next platform. Thus when all the platforms are in the lowermost position, a bobbin can be inserted on the track at one end of the machine and rolled along the sections and platforms into position beneath any one of the cradles for being lifted thereinto bythe respective platform.

The use of the pawl 30, when set in the requisite position by the handle 32, prevents accidental falling of the platform during the lifting operation and whilst the usual mandrel is being inserted in the hole 33 of the bobbin.

If preferred the link I9 may be arranged to maintainl the platform in a horizontal state throughout the whole of-its movement, it then being necessary to provide stop means such as 2|,l 22, 23-or the like at both ends of the platform in such a way as to prevent the bobbin rolling thereoif in either direction.

In lieu of the said arms, links, chains and so forth, four lifting chains or cables 35, Fig.

ures 4 and 5 or.6 and '7 or theirequivalents may be connected to arms 36, Figures 4 and 5 on the cross rod or to depending, cranked parts 31, Figures 6 and '7 on the platform in lieu of the said cross rod to raise and lower the platform whilst maintaining it in a constant angular position, means being provided for winding the four chains up and down equally by the aid of a single hand wheel or the like. For example there may be two shafts 38, Figures 4 and 5, each provided with two drums 39, there thus being one drum 39 for the winding on of the material are placed in cradles mounted ina rotary member having apertures through which the bobbins are placed in and removed from the cradles, comprising in combination spaced stationary bobbin track sections extending longitudinally along the machine vertically beneath the rotary member, liftable bobbin track sections situated between the stationary track sections and forming with the stationary sections a continuous track from end to end of the machine for rolling the bobbins along longitudinally-beneath the machine into position beneath the rotary member, and means for lifting the liftable bobbin tracks separately at will for pushing the bobbins thereon through the apertures in the rotary member and into position in the cradles.

2. A bobbin lifting mechanism for stranding 4and other machines wherein flanged bobbins which carry the material are placeable in cradles mounted in a rotary member having, apertures through which the bobbins are placed in and removed from the cradles when the rotary member is stopped, comprising in combination, a plurality of spaced pairs of stationary rails arranged in alignment longitudinally beneath the rotary member for the anges of the bobbins to roll along, a plurality of pairs of raisable rails disposed between the pairs of stationary rails for the anges of the bobbins to roll over from one pair of stationary rails to the next pair of stationary rails, downward projections on each pair of raisable rails, flexible draft members connected to the downward projections and rotary means on the machine for hoisting up the said draft members and thereby raising the pair of raisable rails and therefore pushing the bobbinthereon up through one of the apertures in the rotary member into the cradle.

3. A bobbin lifting mechanism for stranding and other machines wherein flanged bobbins are employed in cradles mounted in a rotary member having apertures through which the bobbins are inserted and removed from the cradle from beneath the said cradle, comprising a multiple part bobbin track on which the bobbins are rolled longitudinally beneath the machine into position beneath the cradles, some parts of the said track being iixed and other parts thereof being liftable, downward projections on the movable parts of the tracks, in combination with swing arms pivoted to a stationary part and connected to the downward projections for raising the liftable parts from below, chains connected to the ends of the swing arms of two of the liftable portions of the track, a shaft mounted on the machine, toothed wheels mounted on the shaft and engaged by the said chains, and a hand wheel on the 'shaft for rotating it and the said toothed wheels actuating the said chains and thereby raising either of the said liftable portions at will.

4. A bobbin lifting mechanism for stranding and other machines wherein flanged bobbins are employed in cradles mounted in a rotary member having apertures through which the bobbins are pushed from below into the said cradles, comprising a longitudinal track beneath the rotary member for the anges of the bobbins to roll on, raisable sections of the said track for supporting and raising the bobbins through the said apertures into the cradles, downward projections on each movable section, a horizontal spindle secured to the projections, swing arms loosely connected to the spindle, radius arms secured to the said spindle, stationary pivots on which the swing arms swing, stationary pivots above the last named pivots, a pivotal link connecting the second named pivots tothe radius arms,.and hand-operable means acting on the swing arms for raising the same.

5. In a bobbin lifting mechanism for stranding and other machines wherein flanged bobbins are employed in cra'dles mounted in a horizontal rotary member having apertures through which the bobbins are inserted in and removed from the cradle, a sectional bobbin runway arranged longitudinally of the rotary member for rolling the bobbins along on its anges into position beneath the cradles and comprising fixed sections and raisable sections interposed between the fixed sections and remaining permanently in register with the cradles in combination with means connected to the raisable sections for preventing the bobbins from rolling on their anges thereoff when the raisable sections are raised, and means for raising the said sections and therefore pushing the bobbins thereon up into the said cradles.

JOHN HAMIL'roN LRMUTH. 

